Grants:Project/Rapid/Wiki In Africa/R&D on the Open Knowledge Curriculum

This rapid grant application is intended to facilitate the research and development phase for the Open Knowledge Curriculum (an education extension of WikiFundi, WikiAfrica Schools and WikiChallenge Ecoles d'Afrique) that involves extensive collaboration around stakeholder consultation, expectation framing, curriculum scaffolding, and concept note development.

Contents

Briefly explain what are you trying to accomplish with this project, or what do you expect will change as a result of this grant. Example goals include, "recruit new editors", "add high quality content", or "train existing editors on a specific skill".The Main Project

The Open Knowledge Curriculum is intended for educators across Africa (and beyond) to teach learners, through practical application, how global knowledge systems work, how content is created, and how they can contribute themselves and get their stories and cultures online. By the end of the project, it is intended that there is a teacher training programme, a lesson plan, teaching resources, and teaching guides that provide teachers with the ability and materials to immerse learners in a layered and thorough understanding of how global knowledge is captured, created, disseminated and used.

Not limited to just Wikipedia and Wikimedia contribution, the curriculum is expected to range from theory and global distribution of knowledge, open licences and access, to self contribution. Although the details are still to be finalised, the curriculum is expected to cover the following areas:

How knowledge is created, where it is drawn from and what can be trusted (include geographies of knowledge, knowledge imbalances, etc.);

How to work with knowledge, including how to use knowledge (range of platforms, knowledge vs. social media, assessing validity, problems around copyright, plagiarism, citable sources, fake news, etc.);

How to contribute knowledge, including how to contribute to Wikimedia projects and the larger Commons (citizen journalism, ethics and neutrality, sources, etc.); and

The curriculum should be locally adaptable and include local or regional examples; including local knowledge sources and favourite or local social media platforms. The Open Knowledge Curriculum is aimed at developing skills within developing countries (but not limited to them).

With regards to the Wikimedia movement, the Open Knowledge Curriculum is intended to:

raise understanding about how to read, use and contribute to Wikipedia, Wikimedia movement. It will also show where Wikimedia sits within the open movement and knowledge ecosystems;

provide a core understanding for students across Africa in how to use Wikipedia effectively,

ensure teachers and students know how to contribute to Wikipedia with respect for the movement's rules, but also with respect for their own cultures and traditions, and

work towards the ultimate provision of a considered, supported immersion programme for students to apply learnt 21st Century digital skills to global knowledge systems, through content production, licencing and copyright, etc. that ultimately results in online published material.

Expectations with regards to Rapid Grant

This rapid grant application is intended to spend the required time developing this concept, consult and collaborate with experts and aligned education practitioners, to further develop this complex and multi-layered project to a stage where additional funding can be sought for its final development and application.

Tell us how you'll carry out your project. What will you and other organizers spend your time doing?

Activities currently planned for (but not limited to) the following:

Develop existing and new relationships with allies within the education and aligned open movement into a collaborating network for feedback; (This network has already begun through the presentation and discussion on the Open Knowledge Curriculum held at the CC Summit in Lisbon in May 2019.);

Research curriculum styles, including investigating potential assimilation with national curriculums, and national and international educational organisational requirements (e.g. Cambridge Certificate or IB);

Consultation with experts to consider the impact or adaptation required across a variety of contexts, languages, packages, resources and time requirements; and

How will you let others in your community know about your project (please provide links to where relevant communities have been notified of your proposal, and to any other relevant community discussions)? Why are you targeting a specific audience?

What will you have done at the end of your project? How will you follow-up with people that are involved with your project?

Developed a network of a minimum of 30 education stakeholders, curriculum advisors, open movement practitioners and trainers and teachers who wish to actively participate in the development of the curriculum.